Isla de Ratones (Ponce, Puerto Rico)

Coordinates: 17°57′18″N 66°40′53″W / 17.95500°N 66.68139°W / 17.95500; -66.68139

Isla de Ratones (English: Mice Island) is a small uninhabited island off the southern coast of Puerto Rico, off the coast of Ponce. The island is part of barrio Canas in the municipality of Ponce. The island gained attention in 2010 when the Puerto Rican Bird Society made it a target for the eradication of the black rat. While named as one single island, it is actually composed of two islands separated by a few feet of shallow water during high tide, which become a single island at low tide.

Location

The island, sometimes erroneously considered a cay (or key), is located 1.0 km south of the mainland Puerto Rican shore across from Punta Cucharas in barrio Canas. The island has an area of 6.94 cuerdas (one cuerda equals 0.97 acres) It is located at latitude 17.95500° and longitude -66.68139°. The short distance from the mainland shore makes Ratones a popular landing point for aquatic events such as kayaking. Together with Caja de Muertos, Gatas, Morrillito, Cardona, Isla del Frio, and Isla de Jueyes, Ratones is one of seven islands in the municipality of Ponce.